Nashville gets underestimated as an outdoor city. Within 30 minutes of Broadway, you can be on trails with limestone ridges, hardwood canopy, creek crossings, and genuine elevation gain. Within 90 minutes, you’re at some of the best waterfall hikes in the Southeast. Here’s what’s actually worth your time.
Inside Nashville City Limits
Mossy Ridge Trail, Percy Warner Park is the city’s best hike. The 4.5-mile red-blazed loop at Percy Warner Park runs up and down wooded hills with 830 feet of elevation gain, crosses springs, and passes through open meadows with carpets of moss. AllTrails rates it 4.8 stars from nearly 9,000 reviews. Trailhead access is off Highway 100 at the Deep Well picnic area. Plan 2.5 to 3.5 hours. Not ideal for small children due to rocky terrain and constant elevation change, but manageable for anyone in reasonable shape.
Lake Trail, Radnor Lake State Park is the easiest legitimate trail in Nashville: 2.6 miles around the lake, minimal elevation, consistent beauty. No dogs allowed on most trails, no running on most trails. It’s quiet mid-week and packed on weekends. The connecting Ganier Ridge Trail (1.65 miles, difficult) is a step up in challenge if you want more.
Harpeth Woods Trail, Percy Warner Park runs 2.5 miles blazed in blue, rated moderate, through heavily wooded interior with some of the park’s most secluded terrain. It follows part of the historic Natchez Trace and passes a rock quarry active in the 1930s and 40s. The combined Mossy Ridge and Harpeth Woods Loop brings the total to about 7 miles with 1,312 feet of elevation gain, the hardest hike available in the city.
Beaman Park Ridgetop Trail sits in northwest Nashville, overlooking the Harpeth Hills. Beaman Park has 14.6 miles of trails and offers more solitude than Warner Parks on most weekday mornings. It’s a longer drive from downtown but rewards visitors with wilder terrain.
Long Hunter State Park Volunteer Trail lies about 30 minutes east on Percy Priest Lake. The 6-mile trail follows the southern shoreline with long lake views, rocky coves, and hidden beaches. Primitive campsites at the trail’s end make overnight trips feasible. One of the more accessible challenging day hikes in the metro.
Day Trips Worth Making (Under 2 Hours)
Cummins Falls State Park (1.5 hours north of Nashville): A 1.5-mile hike drops to a 75-foot waterfall with a swimming hole that’s a genuine draw in summer. You’ll need a Gorge Access Permit from the park office before accessing the full trail. River crossings required, water shoes are practical.
Burgess Falls State Park (about 1.5 hours east): Just over a mile brings you to a 135-foot waterfall. The trail ends in steep stairs to the top of the falls, making it compact but memorable.
Fall Creek Falls State Park (about 1.5 hours southeast): Multiple waterfalls including Cane Creek Falls, which drops 85 feet as a single plunge into a pool. The Gorge Overlook Trail provides big views without a long commitment.
Harpeth River State Park (30 minutes west of downtown): The Bluff Overlook Trail is 1.9 miles and provides great views with moderate effort. The Hidden Lake Trail extends the experience. The park runs 7am-7pm April through September.
What Most Visitors Don’t Know
Nashville maintains close to 100 miles of formally designated greenways threading the metro area. The Shelby Bottoms Greenway in East Nashville offers 5 miles of accessible paved trail along the Cumberland River and is the easiest entry point for casual walkers. The Stones River Greenway runs another 12 miles east toward Long Hunter State Park, with consistently good bird watching along the way.
For the most ambitious hikers, the Fiery Gizzard Trail in Grundy Forest State Natural Area (about 90 minutes southeast) is consistently rated one of the top hiking trails in the country, waterfalls, swimming holes, rough terrain, and stunning forest. It’s a destination in itself and earns the drive.
Percy Warner Park and Radnor Lake handle the everyday needs of Nashville’s hiking community. Everything else rewards planning ahead.
Sources:
- Metro Nashville Parks, Hiking Trails: https://www.nashville.gov/departments/parks/outdoor-recreation/hiking-trails
- AllTrails Nashville: https://www.alltrails.com/us/tennessee/nashville
- Friends of Warner Parks: https://warnerparks.org/visit/trails/
- AAA TripCanvas, Best Hiking in Nashville: https://www.aaa.com/tripcanvas/article/guide-to-the-best-hiking-in-nashville-CM1002
- The Planet D, Best Hikes Near Nashville: https://theplanetd.com/best-hikes-near-nashville-tennessee/